Why is it so creepy to verify my SW account?

When I made my account years back I was an EP refugee like many others, coming over to SW to test the waters. Back then I didn't find myself impressed with SW and so I didn't hang around for long. I recently came back to give this site a second chance but I find the method of verifying my account is pretty creepy... I mean holding up a piece of paper with my name and date on it and taking a picture makes me feel like a hostage to some terrorist organization who is being ransomed. Not even sites like facebook ask for stuff like this.

How many people out there on SW actually did this? And is there any benefit to verifying your account?

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valentini · 61-69, M

I have not had occasion to do anything like this with SW but it does not surprise me. Facebook however last year, told me before I logged in one day that my account was frozen unless I sent them a video selfie with sound from multiple angles. Now, if they do not already have my face and voice how in the world can they use my face and voice to "verify" me? I figured they just wanted to train their AI and sell it to others to train their AI and not pay me royalties. So, I did not send anything and today I am permanently locked out of FB